46 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Spawning period. — Neither the exact beojinning nor, of course, the 

 end of the spawning season was observed, but all the data indicated 

 that spawning- on both coasts is well under way by the middle of 

 November. 



Racial localisation. — While such evidence as differences in size and 

 apparent rates of growth, apparent sizes at first maturity, etc., indi- 

 cate, from a preliminary examination, race differences in different 

 localities; the evidence from differences in physical proportion is 

 not as clear as in the case of the North Carolina fish. It is hoped 

 that future observations will make possible the final solution of this 

 important problem. 



During 1925 it is hoped, on the basis of the experience of the 

 present year's studies, to continue and extend the investigation of the 

 mullet fishery along the coasts of all the South Atlantic States. A 

 vigorous continuance of the studies already begun should yield 

 results of the utmost practical value in the conservation of this 

 important fishery. 



SALMONID^E AND SMELTS 



The investigation of the salmon and smelt was continued by Dr. 

 W. C. Kendall. During the period covered by this report the in- 

 vestigator Avas occupied principally with a continuation of his obser- 

 vation upon the Salmonidso and the preparation of a manuscript con- 

 cerning the Atlantic smelt and smelt fisheries. In addition to his 

 regular work he was called upon to decide questions as to the 

 identification of salmonids and other problems pertaining to those 

 fishes submitted by persons in various parts of the United States as 

 well as from foreign countries, notably New Zealand, Greenland, and 

 Canada. 



A specimen of Atlantic salmon was received from Dr. Morton P. 

 Porsild, director of the Danish biological station at Disko Island, 

 Greenland, an account of which was published in the Fisheries 

 Service Bulletin for October 1, 1924. 



A small collection of fishes, principally chars, and some inverte- 

 brates were brought back from Greenland by Donald B. Mac- 

 Millan on his last expedition. The chars were retained by Doctor 

 Kendall for study and the balance of the material was transmitted 

 to the United States National Museum. 



Considerable progress was made in the determination of the ages 

 of brook trout by a study of the scales. It was found that a large 

 trout is not necessarily an old one nor a small trout necessarily 

 young. It is believed that the results of this study, which has not 

 previously been undertaken, will prove of value in trout culture. 



In the late fall about a week was spent in studying the spawning 

 habits of trout in tributaries of Cranberry Lake, N. Y., in coopera- 

 tion with the Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station and 

 the State Conservation Commission. 



LARVAL FISHES 



This work has been continued by Marie D. P. Fish, and has been 

 extended to include the study of larval fishes taken in other regions 

 than Woods Hole. Previous investigations alons: this line have been 



